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Customers in a banking hall
At a recent workshop on retail banking, participants, notably, banking executives, shared knowledge and identified a growing threat to their operations, reports Olaseni Durojaiye
The inaugural Nigerian Retail Banking Workshop has identified the rise in the market share of unorthodox money lending companies as a challenge to the growth of retail banking in the country even as participants identified opportunities in made in Nigeria goods for the growth of retail banking in the country.
Retail banking, also known as consumer banking, is the typical mass-market banking in which individual customers use local branches of larger commercial banks for their banking needs. Services offered include savings and checking accounts, mortgages, personal loans, debit/credit cards and certificates of deposit.
The workshop, which held in Lagos recently, proved to be a successful interactive session as bank executives shared knowledge on retail banking, common problems as well opportunities that are inherent in the huge population of Nigerians. The workshop also identified agent banking as a strategy to further deepen financial inclusion in the country.
However, a major talking point at the session was the gradual incursion into an aspect of retail banking by money lending business concerns. Described as “disruptive financial service providers,” nimble and flexible in their operations, participants identified the preference among banks for a loan seeker’s employer rather than his personality as one of the reasons behind the noticeable rise in their market share.
The breakfast workshop organised by Ciuci Consulting, had in attendance executives of 17 banks, who contributed to the robust discussions that addressed several key challenges in the industry. Many of the attendees were drawn from retail banking sections of the various banks that participated at the session. The banks included First Bank Nigeria Limited, United Bank for Africa, Fidelity Bank, Heritage Bank, Ecobank and Unity Bank Plc. Others are Zenith Bank, Sterling Bank, Access Bank among others.
The topics covered at the workshop includes the implication of ‘made in Nigeria’ in retail banking; Digitisation versus Digitalisation; the characteristics of retail lending in Nigeria and the opportunity in the unbanked.
The discussants were chief operations and information officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Gbolahan Joshua; Head, CASA and Bancassurance, Ecobank, Adeola Dare, who stood in for the bank’s Group Head, Personal banking, Korede Demola-Adeniyi; Group Head, Lagos Island, Retail Banking, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, Funke Smith and Chief Information Officer, Heritage Bank Plc, Ike Williams. Managing Consultant, Ciuci Consulting, Chukwuka Monye, moderated the session.
Funke Smith of Firstbank explained how sole proprietorships can take advantage of the new focus on ‘made in Nigeria’. She stated that they need to be well structured to enable them better position for different forms of funding that are available, while Adeola Dare of Ecobank shared different ways banks could improve on financial inclusion.
Slow Response to Loss of Market Share
A key concern shared by many of the participants is the slow response of banks to market share loss by disruptive financial service providers. Even though there was no data to back the claim, the gathering agreed that the loan merchants may have taken as much as 15 per cent of the market share of the commercial banks and traced their ability to do so to factors that include: lower interest rate and flexibility as they are given to less documentation and the speed. Besides, participants also agreed that they record low default rate even though their low portfolios are far less to that of conventional banks.
Speaking at the workshop, one executive with Unity Bank Plc, who gave his name simply as Funwa, noted that, “As we speak, these companies have control of about 15 per cent of the retail banking lending. We don’t seem to know because of absence of data. Soon they’ll go beyond micro lending into SME financing because they are flexible and innovative.”
Another executive, who wouldn’t give his name, alerted that, “If we are not careful, these firms will eat our cheese. We must be better organised to better meet the requirements of an effective retail operation. The disruptive financial service providers are nimble and have an effective operational structure, that is the reason why even bank employees go to them for short-term loans”, he stated.
However, opinions differ on how to respond to the threat that the disruptive financial service providers pose to retail lending. While some suggested collaboration, others opined that commercial banks could learn one or two things from the way they operate, arguing that many of the promoters of the business were former bankers who know the system and were exploiting it to their advantage.
Interestingly, another revelation was the need for the review of banking regulations which some participants claimed has become a constraint on industry competitiveness. Many of the participants shared the frustration of regulatory constraint and highlighted the fact that many of the laws that banks must abide by were written in 1991 adding that the banking landscape has changed dramatically since. Accordingly, banks could only implement risk management solutions that are approved by the regulators; therefore it is crucial that the banks and the regulators collaborate to develop an effective framework that guides retail-lending activities.
However, Chief Operations and Information Officer of Fidelity Bank, Gbolahan Joshua, noted that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was developing some programmes that will make credit risk requirements more flexible and effective.
Besides, he expressed the need for collaboration between telcos and related service providers as critical to deepening retail banking services, sharing insights on some of the successes of mobile credit lending strategies.
Misapplication of Intelligence and Analytics
Meanwhile, an important aspect of the discussion focused on the misapplication of intelligence and analytics amongst bank. These capabilities were expressed as a crucial function and highlighted as an area that needed attention by all the retail banks.
Williams, the chief information officer of Heritage Bank, explained how the lack of intelligence and analytics led to the wrong rationalisation of some banks’ branches. “Banks are re-opening some branches they should not have shut down in the first place, they were misinformed.”
Profitable Consumer Behaviours
In his presentation to round off the session, Monye shared some sample analyses, beneficial to the banks. He focused on how banks could identify profitable customer behaviour, using an illustration that was based on customers’ usage of internet-based banking platforms, which have lower costs to serve customers than branches.
The illustration described Profitable Customer Behaviour as “trends and habits of customers that leads to increasing profits for the organization” adding that, “for retail banking, these are customers’ characteristics that directly relates to banking products and services.
Accordingly, the illustration listed some profitable consumer behaviours for retail banks to monitor to include: positive customer perception of banks, customer loyalty, customer adoption rate of bank product and services, frequency of use of bank products and customer channel preference for engaging banks and financial activities.
Based on this illustration, Diamond Bank, First Bank and Access Bank came first, second and third respectively in the 2015 Most Profitable Customer Behaviour by Internet-based banking platform usage. Sterling Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank and Skye Bank formed the bottom three in that other.
The illustration tagged an analysis of banks’ profitable Customer Behaviours for Retail Banks in 2015 was also presented during the workshop.


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Speaking at his alma mater in January, Sundar Pichai, Google’s low-profile CEO, revealed his key to effective management: “Let others succeed.” Enacting Pichai’s advice is easier said than done. But Google
Apple's latest iPhone software update — iOS 11 — is finally here, and with it, a ton of new features and tricks. Here's how to enable the best ones: the one-handed keyboard, a hidden level in the camera,
macworld.com - Serenity has been writing and talking and tinkering with Apple products since she was old enough to double-click. In her spare time, she sketches, writes, acts, sings, and wears an assortment of hats.
While 2014 is still only half over, many in the tech world are already looking to the future and to the new gadgets and technologies set to hit the market next year. Based on existing information, 2015
What’s your brand? Is it that you’re all about results? That you deliver the goods consistently on time, on budget, with the level of quality expected? That’s what will move the needle most powerfully
How do top business leaders spend their time? Being fascinated by this topic, I collaborated with Chris Stowell, vice president of the International Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness
Facebook is reportedly building a standalone app that will let its users interact and communicate under the cloak of anonymity. If true, it would mark a huge departure from the company's traditional approach

domain: news


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From exciting the chaos of the recent WDCC 2022 (opens in new tab) event emerges hints that Apple may be changing the way iPhones and Android devices interact forever.
Spotted by 9 To 5 Mac (opens in new tab), iPhones running iOS 16 will be able to display emoji reactions to texts coming from Android smartphones in group chats. The feature is slated to launch as part of iOS 16, which itself is being released sometime in Fall 2022.
To understand why this is a welcomed change, it’s important to understand the problem. Tapbacks are emoji reactions meant to be a fast way to respond to a text on the iMessage app. You probably know them better as iMessages thumbs-up, thumbs-down, and the heart emojis.
If you send an emoji to an Android phone, they see it as a text, which is fine. The problem is when you send emojis to an Android phone in a group chat. The text meant for the Android gets sent out to everyone and leads to a really annoying spam problem as iPhone users get inundated with texts they weren’t supposed to get.
We reached out to Apple and asked if they would like to make a statement about the Tapback changes as well as the release date of the feature. While it is expected to release as a part of iOS 16, the fact that Apple didn’t mention the Tapback change in an official capacity may indicate that the feature is going to be in development for a while. Unfortunately, Apple never got back to us.
Analysis: The one standard
In recent months, the gap between iOS and Android has been closing. Google appears more than willing to bridge this gap while Apple, not so much.
For example, Google updated its Messages app to support those iMessage Tapback emojis that appear as an annotation to a text. This has been done thanks to the RCS (Rich Communication Services) protocol. RCS aims to bring features from various messaging apps to other devices and have a universal standard.
Apple, however, strongly prefers proprietary tech, and while Google has asked Apple to formally adopt RCS, Apple has yet to respond. Perhaps, Apple's small Tapback change represents a tiny step on the path to full compatibility with a universal messaging standard. Though we wouldn’t hold our breath.
There were lots of blink-and-you missed-it bits from WWDC. Here’s a list of our favorite ones.


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- Empowering companies to engage in meaningful sustainability -
The Planet Mark has appointed Design by Structure (Structure) to develop its new brand. The agency will deliver a clearly defined and purpose-driven brand for the sustainability certification programme.
Following a pitch in July 2020, against two other agencies, Structure secured the win this month. The scope of work covers, brand identity, TOV, digital and brand guidelines. The Planet Mark is looking to engage, inspire and recognise the achievements of its members, helping them to share the work they have done and the benefits and value of certification.
The Planet Mark is a sustainability certification which recognises continuous improvements, encourages action, and builds an empowered community of like-minded individuals. Community members are awarded the mark to display on their communications channels once certified.
The new creative work will launch in January 2021 in the UK with plans to launch in Europe later in 2021.
The brand redesign is an important step for The Planet Mark to help it achieve its mission: – applying the very best of people, technology and nature, we can build a flourishing society, end the climate crisis, and create a planet fit for life.
The Planet Mark certification supports The Decade of Action campaign, which calls for urgent and accelerating sustainable solutions to all the world’s biggest challenges – ranging from poverty and gender to climate change, inequality and closing the finance gap – by 2030.
Speaking about the win, John Galpin, Co-Founder Design by Structure said, “We, as a business, are committed to positive change, so working with a like-minded business to help them create even greater impact was irresistible. The Planet Mark has such incredible passion and purpose for meaningful change, we understand the role the new branding will have to support its success story and create something its members will be proud to use and display on their own communication channels.”
Steve Malkin, CEO and The Planet Mark founder said, “This is a crucial time for us as a business but also for all of us as a society. As we rise to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, we have the chance to rebuild with the urgent and sustainable action required to protect natural resources, preserve remaining biodiversity, ensure a world worth living in for the future, and build economies that support a fair and just society for all. As individuals we have the power to make the necessary changes and encourage action from our business communities and policy makers. Together, we will make a world of difference and we have the power to secure the future fit for all.”
Published by: Fara Darvill in Press Release


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The 19th EXIT festival was held at the well-known site of Petrovaradin Fortress, being visited by the record number of 200,000 visitors in four nights. With the historical edition of the festival, EXIT successfully completed the first of three very important years in a row for Novi Sad. During the 2019 campaign, the festival strongly promoted this year's title of Youth Capital of Europe, being a prelude to the 202nd year anniversary, when EXIT Festival will celebrate its 20th anniversary, whereby the edition of 2021 will be dedicated to the title of European Capital of Culture.
With an interesting line up at the EXIT, Guarana once again prepared the brand activation and a zone which enabled visitors at the festival to have even more fun.
In the Guarana Invaders Zone, everyone could compete, but also have fun playing the arcade game in the well-known Owl style. Teams competed with each other, and the best among them received exciting gifts to remember their favorite brand at their favorite festival.
In addition to the main activation in the Guarana Zone, promotional teams distributed Guarana on the way to the fortress together with interesting gifts to loyal consumers on the city beach Strand.


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Australian drivers are paying almost double for petrol now than they were last September, new data from Compare the Market shows.
In June, the average monthly spend on petrol in Australia was $192.63 – an increase of $82.05 (74.19%) compared to last September.
That means Australians are forking out around $20 more per week at the bowser now than they were in September – a worrying trend given that the cost of living is increasing across the board.
Compare the Market’s latest Bill Shock Survey found motorists in New South Wales are taking the lead when it comes to soaring fuel prices, now paying an average of $198.35 a month. That’s up $3.67 from April’s average of $188.96 and 74.75% more than last September’s average of $113.50.
It’s hardly a surprise, given that average Sydney fuel prices were as low as $161.2/L in April, but were well above $2/L in June.
However, the survey found that Victorians are paying $3.38 less a month for petrol than they were in April, but still 74.05% ($82.64) more than they were in September.
It’s a similar story in Queensland, where motorists now pay a monthly average of $188.72 – down 8.73% from April’s average price of $206.79 but up 52.93% ($65.32) from what they paid in September.
|Average monthly spend on petrol September 2021||Average monthly spend on petrol June 2022||Percentage increase|
Fuel prices above $2/litre are becoming the new norm for many motorists in Australia, with Compare the Market’s Chris Ford warning that international factors are behind rising costs.
“Oil prices have been rising since mid-May due to increased demand from China, now that their latest round of COVID-19 lockdowns have eased,” Mr Ford said. “The EU bloc also recently confirmed a ban on Russian oil by sea, which is about two-thirds of Russian exports – which has further choked supply.
“While we’re feeling the pinch at the bowser, Aussie drivers are still paying about $1 less per litre than motorists in the UK.”
Since March, Aussie drivers have also some price reductions tanks to excise cuts. According to the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission, prices were slashed by more than 39 cents per litre in Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane between 29 March and 10 May.
However, 61% of Australians say they’re now shopping around for cheaper fuel, a smart move given that some capital cities report price differences of around 40 cents per litre. Just as the major supermarkets can charge their own prices for identical groceries, Mr Ford said fuel retailers can do the same.
“Prices can often be quite high in areas of increased demand or locations with little competition,” Mr Ford explained. “Other retailers may choose to take a smaller margin at the pump against their wholesale cost to drive more traffic to their site.”
Fuel prices also fluctuate in regular cycles and commuters will see the biggest difference between the cheapest and the most expensive at the start of the cycle, when prices are climbing. Meanwhile, there’s not as much of a difference when the cycle is at its peak.
Mr Ford said there are many ways Australians can track down cheaper fuel prices.
“Using apps like Compare the Market’s Simples Fuel App is an easy way to compare fuel prices in your area and track down a better price near you,” Mr Ford said. “It’s a no-brainer if driving a few minutes down the road could help you save significantly,
“Many roadside assistance programs around the country offer fuel discounts with specific retailers, which is another way to nab a deal. Similarly, check what fuel deals are on offer with your local supermarkets. From discounts on shopping dockets to savings with rewards programs and apps, you may be able to pay even less by keeping these tips in mind.”
Similarly, changing some of your driving habits may help you get more bang for your buck when you fill up the tank.
“For example, accelerating quickly uses more fuel over time, while a heavier load may reduce your car’s fuel efficiency,” Mr Ford said. “We know other things like blasting the air conditioning and heating can eat through your fuel quicker, while lower air pressure in your tyres can increase your overall fuel consumption.”
For more information, please contact:
Chris Ford | 0411 560 116 | [email protected]
Phillip Portman | 0437 384 471 | [email protected]
Compare the Market is a comparison service that takes the hard work out of shopping around. We make it Simples for Australians to quickly and easily compare and buy insurance, energy, travel and personal finance products from a range of providers. Our easy-to-use comparison tool enables consumers to find products that best suit their needs and back pocket


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Blyk is the first pan-European ad-funded mobile network. It will offer customers free mobile phone calls and texts in return for receiving advertising on their mobile handsets. For advertisers, Blyk is a superior medium for engaging young consumers in UK. Major brands, including Buena Vista, Coca-Cola, I-play Mobile Gaming, L’Oreal Paris, StepStone and Yell.com mobile have confirmed that they will be among the first advertisers to use the Blyk network when it launches in the UK this summer.
Keith Greenfield, Director of Wholesale for Orange UK, said: “Our network is one of our greatest assets and by securing deals like this we are using its potential to the full. Working with innovative new companies like Blyk offers incremental financial rewards for the business which will in turn allow us to compete more ferociously in the UK market.”
He added: “Orange became the first operator to launch advertising on the mobile last year and feedback from our customers has been overwhelmingly positive. That makes Blyk’s approach even more exciting and we shall be watching their progress with interest.”
Pekka Ala- Pietilä, Co-founder and CEO of Blyk, said: “The partnership with Orange ensures that we will deliver the highest level of service and quality of experience that advertisers and our members expect.”
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Google has bought a new algorithm that will enable it to display extracts from searches on the search results page itself.
The algorithm was created by a chap called Ori Allon, a student in Australia. Google beat off bids from Microsoft and Yahoo to acquire his work.
Rather than just sending people off to relevant web pages when a search is performed, Google could now display text answering those queries directly in the Google interface, either as Google-branded answers or as text excerpts from websites it would otherwise be sending people to.
Why the change? Well, currently Google is a great place to go to find out things from other websites. But if you stay on Google's pages for longer, it can serve you more Google ads and sponsored keywords, allowing it to make more money - rather than sending you off to other places.
Currently, sites like MSN and Yahoo also have their own content portals to keep surfers on their sites. Could Google be looking to create a mega-site that could provide the answers - and the information - to absolutely anything?
Let us know your thoughts on the move in our forums.


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Boston Whaler Receives Job Creator Award From Florida Governor
The award comes on the heels of an 18-month expansion of Boston Whaler's Edgewater plant, which resulted in over 120 new jobs. Boston Whaler has more than doubled its workforce at the Edgewater facility since 2010 and now employs more than 600 workers.
Boston Whaler has always been committed to the highest quality of manufacturing and hiring the very best workers to achieve that quality, said Boston Whaler Director of Human Resources Brandon Beck, who was on hand to accept the award at the Sawgrass Marriott in Ponte Vedra. We value being able to contribute to the marine industry and the overall economic health of the state of Florida. This award is a huge honor for us.
Governor Scott visited the expanded Edgewater facility this past May and remarked on the companys continuing success: Boston Whaler is one of many companies that have recognized Florida as the best place to grow their business. Job creators like Boston Whaler growing in our state has resulted in more than 841,000 new jobs since December 2010, which means more Floridians are able to provide for their families. We will keep working to support this growth so Florida can become the global destination for jobs.
The Whaler facility expansion added more than 58,000 total square feet, significantly increasing Whalers manufacturing capabilities and expanding capacity at a time when the company is enjoying strong growth. The sophisticated new 420 Outrage and the Innovation Award-winning 320 Vantage, both introduced domestically within the last 10 months, will make their European debut at the Cannes Yachting Festival, September 8-13.
Boston Whaler has been able to grow our portfolio of unsinkable boats, due not only to our facilities expansion, but also to the higher number of skilled hands on deck, said Boston Whaler President Huw Bower. Each new person contributes to our mission of creating legendary boats for Floridians and boaters around the world.
EFI is a public-private partnership between Floridas business and government leaders and is the principal economic development organization for Florida. EFI's mission is to expand and diversify the states economy through job creation.
About Boston Whaler:
For more than 50 years, Boston Whaler has been building superior quality unsinkable runabouts, cruisers and center console boats. Founded in 1958 and currently headquartered in Edgewater, Fla., the companys unique foam-cored construction process contributes not only unsurpassed flotation, but also superior ride characteristics and durability. The current product line ranges from 11 to 42 feet and is distributed around the world by a network of exceptional dealers.
For more information about The Unsinkable Legend, please visit www.bostonwhaler.com.Boston Whaler is owned by Brunswick Corporation, the largest marine manufacturer in the world.
Headquartered in Lake Forest, Ill., Brunswick Corporation endeavors to instill "Genuine Ingenuity"(TM) in all its leading consumer brands, including Mercury and Mariner outboard engines; Mercury MerCruiser sterndrives and inboard engines; MotorGuide trolling motors; Attwood and Whale marine parts and accessories; Land 'N' Sea, Kellogg Marine, Diversified Marine, BLA and Bell RPG parts and accessories distributors; Bayliner, Boston Whaler, Brunswick Commercial and Government Products, Crestliner, Cypress Cay, Harris, Lowe, Lund, Meridian, Princecraft, Quicksilver, Rayglass, Sea Ray and Uttern boats, and Life Fitness, Hammer Strength and SCIFIT fitness equipment, and Brunswick billiards tables, accessories and game room furniture and InMovement products and services for productive well-being.
For more information, visit http://www.brunswick.com.
Source Boston Whaler ©


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With Conversational AI, the Standards Work Heats Up
The W3C has published recent standards that will impact AI-powered speech applications.
The Brain-Computer Interface: The Frontier of Speech Tech
BCI offers hope for assistive technologies that help people who can no longer articulate speech.
Why Speech Tech Is Key to a Well-Rounded Metaverse
Voice adds an exciting fourth dimension to 3-D virtual worlds.
Speech Technology Can Help Revive Indigenous Languages
Speech-to-speech translation can make education, media, and business more linguistically inclusive.
A Speech Translation Evangelist on the Business Opportunities in an Interconnected World
Entrepreneur Jeffry Williams, CEO of Worldwide Tech Connections, sees big challenges, and even bigger opportunities for speech tech providers, in the need to tackle the translation requirements of today's business climate.
Will Speech Technology Keep Speech Free?
The technology is magical, but can be misused
Mobile Device Translations Get in the Game
An interview with a sports industry speech evangelist.
Speech Solutions for Media Makers
Speed-reading subtitles translate to lower cost, improved experience
Improving Access to the Virtual World
Universal design standards are opening doors to those with disabilities.
Shame On You, Authors Guild
The facts don't match the claims in the Kindle TTS debate.


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- story by Lisa Monti
If you get a thrill out of being spooked, there’s a unique new venue available here in Hancock County.
Mystic Ghost Ride Boat Tours launch from Bordages Marina on Bayou Caddy in a 24-foot Coast Guard-compliant pontoon vessel that seats six. Depending on the tides and water conditions, the route may run along the shoreline to the Pearl River and back, or up Bayou Caddy.
The schedule changes up seasonally. For instance, during December, the Creepy Christmas tours can be booked at four different times in the weeekend, from 5pm - 9pm. Each tour lasts approximately one hour.
This Big Buzz
is sponsored by
Jenny is a retired teacher from Georgia who has wanted to start an ecotour boat venture for about ten years.
“I did marina searches and a lot of legwork, looking in the Gulf Coast area,” she said. Once she got to Hancock County, she discovered Bordages Marina and launched her dream. Jenny already has plans to add more seasonal tours starting at Christmas.
“Then we will start 2021 with Voodoo Valentine tours. I intend this to be a year-round business,” she said.
Mystic Ghost Ride Boat Tours guests must wear a mask and arrive 20 to 30 minutes early at the gate to Bordages Marina. Beer, wine and soft drinks can be purchased aboard with cash or a credit card after departure from the dock.
Tickets start at $59 and can be purchased online at http://www.mysticghostrides.com. Tours must be booked before 4 pm the day of the tour.
Mystic Ghost Ride Boat Tours
6149 Central Ave.
Bay St. Louis


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Birmingham punks YOUTH MAN are pleased to announce that they will be releasing their new EP Five Songs on 29th June 2018 via Alcopop! Records. The EP will be available on a limited edition run of 300 beautiful 12” yellow/orange marble vinyl and via all good digital service providers.
Bundles are available to preorder now from the Alcopop! Records store: http://ilovealcopop.awesomedistro.com/
Alongside the news the duo have revealed another brand new cut from the record in the shape of ‘Statuesque’ which can be streamed and shared in full here: https://soundcloud.com/alcopop/youth-man-statuesque
Five Songs is released 29th June via Alcopop! Records
Five Songs tracklist:
I Don’t Know


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X-Men (2000), X2 (2003) and Transformers (2007) producer Tom DeSanto, who owns over 30,000 comics, has secured the film rights to NCsoft and Cryptic Studios’ video game Cities of Heroes (2004). His plan is to adapt the massively multiplayer online role-playing game (MMORPG) into a live-action feature and then transition it to television in some form.
Mr. DeSanto said he wanted to do the project because it offered “one-stop shopping for characters and plots. You also haven’t seen a big superheroes vs. aliens movie. I see this as the next big superhero franchise.”
Superheroes soar high above a towering metropolis in City of Heroes, fighting to save Paragon City from a rising tide of crime. They must team up in order to fight an invasion of aliens known as the Rikti.
From Variety, via Slashdot


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A New Pastry Shop With a Light Touch
Call a patisserie Baba, and not sell baba au rhum? If the baker's name is Baba, as in Baba Ali Gueye, perhaps it can be excused.
''Babas were created by others, and everybody knows them,'' Mr. Gueye said. ''I want to do my own things.''
Does this baker, who was born in Senegal, worked in Paris and has been baking in New York since 1985, have a signature pastry? ''I make a lot of pastries without eggs, butter and cream, but you would not know it,'' he said. ''You can't eat traditional French pastry every day, but mine you can.''
His feathery vanilla meringue cookies (90 cents each) are a good example of his philosophy. And the only fat in his chocolate muffins ($1.50 each) is in the sliced almonds strewn on top. Mr. Gueye's last job was at Grassroots, a health-food-oriented store in SoHo, where he met a customer, Erika Leifer, who became his partner in this new bakery-cafe, at 30 East 13th Street.
She was managing her husband's law firm but became smitten with Mr. Gueye's pastries. When the baker shared his dream of opening his own place, she decided they would become a team. Mrs. Leifer's daughter, Danielle, also works in the cozy shop, which sells delicious sandwiches ($5.95 to $6.95) and soups, like a fine, creamy but creamless tomato-shallot ($3.95).Continue reading the main story
Swiss Buyer for Ghirardelli
Lindt & Sprungli, the Swiss chocolate company, has acquired the Ghirardelli Chocolate Company, which was founded in San Francisco in 1852. ''Acquiring Ghirardelli meets our needs for geographic expansion with a company at the upper end of the market,'' said Lee Mizusawa, the president of Lindt U.S.A., which has headquarters in Stratham, N.H. ''Most of our business, about 80 percent, is in Europe, and we want more presence outside Europe.''
He said that Lindt would keep using the Ghirardelli brand name for that company's products, including its line of baking bars and hot chocolate mix. He would not reveal the purchase price. Recently, Lindt also bought Caffarel, an Italian candy company.
Ghirardelli, now in San Leandro, Calif., was sold by the Quaker Oats Company five years ago to an investment company in Dallas. Ghirardelli wanted to expand -- it recently opened a sales and marketing division in Parsippany, N.J. -- and was considering going public when the offer was made by Lindt in October.
''We're very compatible,'' said Jack Anton, the president of Ghirardelli. ''We're both focused on chocolate with a strong emphasis on quality.'' Mr. Anton said that Ghirardelli plans to open more of its Old Fashioned Soda Fountain stores, modeled on the original one in San Francisco, around the country.
Toasts to Hot Chocolate
Hot chocolates flavored with banana peel or tangerine are among the choices at two hot chocolate festivals. City Bakery, 22 East 17th Street, has had hot chocolate festivals for six years; this year's starts on Monday and lasts through February. The hot chocolates, in a rotating menu of flavors, including banana, chili pepper and malted milk, are $2.50 each.
At the Four Seasons Hotel, 57 East 57th Street, a hot chocolate celebration is in full swing, and will last through March 10. The hot chocolate, including tangerine and cinnamon, is $7 for a large drink.Continue reading the main story


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Modified: February 21, 2013 9:04 AM
Fiat-Chrysler increased global sales by 12.7% in January
TURIN -- Fiat-Chrysler's global sales increased by 12.7 percent in January compared with the same month last year, helped by strong sales of the Fiat brand in Brazil and Chrysler vehicles in North America.
Fiat-Chrysler sales grew to 329,800 units, Fiat said in a report released on its investor relation Web site on Feb. 20.
Latin America passed Europe to become the automaker's second-largest region by unit sales. Latin America volume increased by 27.6 percent to 88,800 units. Fiat did not break down the numbers among its brands but most sales in the region are Fiat-badged vehicles. Many of the sales were in Brazil, where Fiat-Chrysler's volume rose 35.8 percent to 71,200 units last month.
North America remained Fiat-Chrysler's largest market, with sales up 14.3 percent to 142,300 sales in January. Of those, 139,800 were Chrysler sales and 2,500 Fiat vehicles. U.S. sales grew 16.4 percent to 117,700; Canada was up 2.6 percent to 17,000; and Mexico grew 11.7 percent to 7,500.
The EMEA region, which includes Europe, Middle East and Africa, contracted by 7.9 percent to 84,500 units.
Fiat-Chrysler's fastest growing region remains Asia-Pacific (APAC). Here, monthly sales grew by 83.8 percent to 13,300.
Last year, Fiat-Chrysler's global sales increased by 6 percent to 4.2 million. The automaker forecasts that its volume will increase to between 4.3 million and 4.5 million units this year.
In a Jan. 30 presentation to analysts, Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said the company expects about 2.2 million sales in the NAFTA region this year, up from 2.11 million last year. Latin America and EMEA will remain stable at about 1 million units each, while the APAC region is expected double sales to 200,000, Marchionne said.


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Sales Tax SaaS from Avalara Goes Mobile
SaaS-based sales tax automation service provider Avalara’s service is now available for mobile devices and will utilize a new geo-location technology.
The sales-tax-specific geo-location engine, which will be available in early 2012, uses latitude and longitude coordinates, instead of zip codes, to deliver accurate calculations in complex jurisdictions.
“Retailers using any location-aware mobile device can now accurately calculate sales tax data based on their exact geospatial location—even if the transaction is in a crowded farmers market, a new construction site, or on an offshore oil rig,” said Avalara chief technology officer Jared Vogt. “We’re making it easy for everyone…to get the right tax rate anytime, anywhere. There’s a clear need to simplify transactional tax compliance, and Avalara is filling it through innovation.”


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Parking issues, traffic, festivals and events and a "cafe society" have forced a shop owner to quit a town after more than 16 years.
Businessman Peter Everett, whose military equipment and clothing specialists Platoon Stores, has traded at three shops in Rochester High Street, is moving to an industrial unit on the Medway City Estate.
Mr Everett, 58, said shopping habits had changed since lockdown and he was now focussing on an online operation and getting more "tech savvy".
He added: "We are a destination shop. People come to us for a reason. Rochester has changed over the years. It has become a cafe society.
"If you don't get here before 10am on a Saturday you can't find anywhere to park, especially during festivals and events. I have people call me saying they are stuck in traffic."
He described the move to the Spectrum Business Centre in St Anthony's Way as an "evolution".
He said: "It's exciting. We've been here (Rochester) since 2006, and this is a whole new chapter.
'What will I miss about Rochester? Not much, perhaps a sandwich shop.'
"We need to be accessible to our customers and move with the times."
"This caters for our needs and our customers' needs. There are places to park and it's free."
Mr Everett, who is also director of Boot Camp Stores, said they would still be operating as a shop where people can come in, peruse and buy.
They will also be continuing their click and collect service which took off during lockdown.
He said: "What will I miss about Rochester? Not much, perhaps a sandwich shop. But I'm told there's some decent sandwich shops on the estate."
The last trading day at 70 High Street was Saturday and he hopes his new venture will be up-and-running at the beginning of next month.
The business specialises in military, survival outdoor equipment and fully-tested firearms.


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Growth in China still firm as consumers embrace iPhone X
Apple Inc reported on Tuesday its results for the second fiscal quarter of this year ending on March 31, showing strong revenue and profit growth amid fears of a slowing global smartphone market.
The company's results showed growth in all geographical areas and all product segments.
Revenue growth of 21 percent in the Chinese market and 30 percent in the services segment contributed to push Apple's total revenue up to $61.1 billion, a 16 percent increase from the same quarter in 2017.
Shipments of the iPhone, by far Apple's most popular product, were up worldwide only by 3 percent to 52.2 million units, underscoring widespread fears of a slowdown of the global smartphone market.
However, total revenue from the iPhone was $38 billion, a 14 percent increase, driven by higher average prices.
Hattie He, an analyst with Canalys, told the Global Times that iPhone sales in China remained flat, with sales of about 9.3 million units during the quarter, but higher prices for the iPhone X increased Apple's revenue.
The company's new flagship smartphone, the iPhone X, sold for 8,388 yuan ($1,319) in the Chinese mainland market, 58.6 percent more than the previous flagship iPhone 7, which sold for 5,288 yuan.
"Apple's sales also showed a quite strong performance as the overall Chinese smartphone market contracted 21 percent in terms of shipments in the first three months of 2018, according to our research," she said.
"The brand is still quite strong in China, and the iPhone X has leading technologies such as Face ID or ARKit [augmented reality], which have brought new forms of interaction to consumers," said He.
James Yan from Counterpoint Research, speaking with the Global Times, agreed.
"Many iPhone users in China did not upgrade their iPhones last year because they thought the iPhone 7 was too similar to the iPhone 6. The iPhone X, however, with its new design, has been more attractive. Our figures show monthly sales of 2 million for the iPhone X in China."
An iPhone user in Beijing told the Global Times on Wednesday, "I bought an iPhone X as I'm already used to the Apple ecosystem. My previous phone was an iPhone 6 and it was getting slow, so an upgrade felt reasonable."
Apple's report also showed 30 percent growth in the services segment, which has rapidly become an important part of Apple's business. Sales of cloud storage, apps, movies and other content now account for 15 percent of Apple's revenue.
While Apple has had some issues bringing some of its services to China, analysts believe that growth in the segment is still strong.
"Apple gets a 30 percent cut of all in-app purchases done with iPhones, including videogames, which is a rapidly growing market in China. That also added to Apple's revenue growth," said Yan.
Apple CEO Tim Cook held a conference call with investors on Tuesday to discuss the quarterly results.
When asked about the brewing trade war between China and the U.S., Cook said, "China and the U.S. have this unavoidable mutuality, where China only wins if the US wins and the U.S. only wins if China wins and the world only wins if China and the US win."


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Adidas AG trimmed back expectations for the year in the wake of stiffer currency headwinds, a “short-term distribution constraint” in Russia and softness in the golf market. The company, which markets the Adidas, Reebok, TaylorMade and Rockport brands, said its currency-neutral sales would rise by a percentage in the low-single digits this year, versus the low- to midsingle-digit increase previously anticipated. Adidas also cut its projected earnings range this year by 70 million euros. Annual net income is now expected to rise by midsingle digits to a range of 820 million euros to 850 million euros, or $1.1 billion to $1.14 billion at current exchange.The Herzogenaurach, Germany-based firm said the Russian ruble, Japanese yen, Brazilian real, Argentine peso, Turkish lira and Australian dollar have all weakened versus the euro. The company’s new distribution center in Chekhov, Russia, has also had some difficulties getting new product to stores. RELATED STORY: Adidas Appoints Board Member >>And the global golf market has been slow.“TaylorMade-Adidas Golf’s focus on maintaining healthy inventory levels in the marketplace will lead to a lower sales and profit contribution from the segment than originally forecasted,” the company said.
To celebrate Pride 2018, @themarcjacobs released the #GratefulNotHateful campaign, a social media initiative aimed at extending Pride beyond the parade. Inspired by Jacobs’ everyday outlook, the campaign features Jacobs along with a group of models and social media stars who are members and supporters of the LGBT community, all seen wearing @marcbeauty’s Highliner Gel Eye Crayons in colors of the rainbow. Head to our Instagram stories to see close-ups of the liner. #wwdbeauty
Virgil Abloh’s dad Nee and Don Crawley, cofounder of RSVP Gallery, were some of the hometown crew at the Chicago-born designer’s debut show for Louis Vuitton. (📸: @jdiderich ) #wwdmens #louisvuitton #virgilabloh
About last night: @marycharteris and @adwoaaboah hit up Hyde Park for the Serpentine Galleries’ annual summer party held in partnership with @chanelofficial. Head to WWD.com to see more photos. #wwdfashion
“This is Paris, my first show. I’m all about democracy. If some kid shows up, flew from New Jersey to just be around, let’s get him a seat.” — @virgilabloh tells WWD’s @jdiderich ahead of his first show for @louisvuitton men’s. (📸: @alfredo_piola ) #wwdmens #virgilabloh #louisvuitton
“Kate Spade was a true fashion icon who brought joy to the lives of women around the world, and inspired women to live life to the fullest. We are dedicated to carrying on her legacy,” said Anna Bakst, brand president and chief executive officer of @katespadeny. The Kate Spade Foundation announced that it will be donating $1 million to suicide prevention and mental health awareness in tribute to the recent death of Kate Spade. Read more on WWD.com. #wwdnews (📷: @chinseephoto)
A first look at @virgilabloh’s sneakers for @louisvuitton. Abloh spoke to WWD about his debut collection for Louis Vuitton, creating @kendalljenner’s #metgala outfit and redefining the heritage brand. Read the full story on WWD.com. #wwdfashion 📷: @alfredo_piola)
The world’s largest producer of denim @iskodenim is sharing the strategy behind its product development process. Read our full interview with ISKO’s product development manager Baris Ozden on the company’s extensive research practices, upcoming denim trends and the latest material innovations on WWD.com. #iskodenim


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Linden sales tax revenue down
Published 3:39 pm Friday, December 26, 2008
LINDEN – In just a few weeks, the sales tax revenue figures will give area municipalities a glimpse of how the local retail market fared this holiday season.
However, preliminary data does not good for one Marengo County city.
Linden’s sales tax revenue has taken a nose-dive in recent years, falling off by $86,487 last year from three years before.
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Linden mayor Mitzi Gates indicated that the expansion of Walmart to a Super Wal-Mart approximately three years ago played a pivotal role in how much money is being spent in Linden.
“That’s a big part of it,” she said. “(Walmart) has taken shoppers from Linden and they’ve gone to Demopolis.”
More recently, the reduction in sales tax revenues can be attributed to lay-offs at Linden Lumber and other setbacks in the Linden labor market.
Through two rounds of lay-offs at Linden Lumber, for example, more than 300 workers no longer commute to and through Linden for their job.
“That results in fewer purchases made in stores throughout the city by employees traveling into and out of town,” Gates said.
Linden’s sales tax revenue for the fiscal year of 2004-2005, which runs from November to October, totaled $647,120. It fell the next year to $602,480 in 2005-2006, and again to $585,936 in 2006-2007. Last year it hit a five year low at $560,633.
The one bright spot in the picture is a slight increase was recorded last month over November 2007. The sales tax revenue for November 2007 totaled $41,480. It was $41,976 this year – an increase of $496. In October and November 2004, Linden sales tax revenue was $111,566. This year it was $88,245 – a 21 percent decrease. The December sales tax numbers should be in shortly after the New Year. City officials are curious to see what effect this year’s ChillyFest may have had on local spending.


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Google likely to launch Android-based `Nexus TV`
Washington: Google is speculated to be working on a Nexus TV that with run on Android and stream videos from YouTube along with offering a selection of video games.
Sources said that the device which will stream videos from service like Netflix and Hulu will be ready for the launch by the first half of 2014.
According to The Verge, speculations about the Google-made Android set top box started cropping up in July this year, when sources said that the box included a Kinect-like motion sensor and could be controlled with an Android smartphone.
The recent speculations point to a purpose-built touchpad remote could be included with the set-top box.
The report said that the device will not support live broadcast, and with an Android-based set top box, Google would be pursuing a similar strategy as Amazon , which is rumored to have a set-top box of its own set for next year.
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He went bananas for beer. A man wreaked havoc on a California 7-Eleven when he was denied a late-night brew, knocking over fruit and smashing windows during a wild fit, surveillance video shows. The footage, released by the Santa Ana Police Department, shows the suspect walk into the store in Santa Ana on Aug. 25...
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A lot of people seem to think Porsche will be the first to get a $350,000 SUV with a V8 and a V10.
The company’s CEO, Herbert Diess, is in Australia for the opening of the International CES in Las Vegas and has been spotted out and about in the company’s $200,000 sports car range.
In Australia, Porsche is expected to launch a limited-production car that will be sold in two generations.
The first, called the 911 GT3 RS, will be available by 2019.
That car will have a base price of $149,958.
It will go on sale at the end of 2019, when Porsche will launch the RS range, the first of which will come to market by the end for around $150-180,000.
The RS will be built at Porsche’s facility in Quarry Lake, about 30km south-east of Perth, and will feature a V12 engine that puts out around 200 horsepower and a twin-turbo V8 engine that produces around 200 lb-ft of torque.
That will give the car a range of more than 100 kilometres (62 miles).
The RS is the latest in a long line of new Porsche models, which include the 911 Carrera GT, Cayenne Turbo, 919 and 923 sports cars, the 997 Turbo and 911 Turbo S, the Porsche 918 Spyder, the Carrera Cup and the Panamera S. The RS is Porsche’s first car to be powered by a turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
The 918 Sportback is powered by an engine rated at around 200bhp, which puts out more than 300lb-ft. It was released in late 2016 and was priced at $135,995.
In the Cayenne, the 6.0-litre turbocharged V8 makes up about 20 per cent of the car’s output, while the 4.0L V8 in the Cayman has a range rating of around 220 miles.
But the 919 Sportback and Cayman X have a different approach to turbocharging.
The Cayman’s engine is rated at a little over 300bhp and comes with a range that is around 200 miles.
The Porsche’s engine sits in a separate cylinder that gets an extra 50 horsepower, so the 918 is rated for 300-350bhp.
While the 917 Spyder is based on the 916 Sportback, it’s been designed with an increased turbocharger that is rated to boost output from around 300 to 400bhp on the standard turbo, which is rated around 200 to 300 horsepower.
The 917 is a hybrid sports car and the 924 Cayman is rated with a higher-horsepower turbochargers.
The Porsche Panamera is the other new sports car to make the move to turbocharged engines.
Porsche will also be offering a hybrid Cayman SUV that has been developed with the powertrain from the 914 and 914 Spyder.
“The 917 and 924 are a perfect example of how we have taken a sports car concept and transformed it into a hybrid,” Diess said at the launch of the 929 Cayman S. There will be some other sports cars in the lineup.
The Panamera, which will have an output of around 200-250bhp at the front axle and 250-275bhp in the rear, is rated up to 275-280bhp with the option of a turbochargerkite and has a drivetrain that can be upgraded to include a three-cylinders version.
Another Porsche sports car will be released in 2020, the Panathinaikos.
It’s a compact sports car that has a base model of around $180,400 and can be had with a base package that includes an 8-speed automatic transmission, a seven-speed manual transmission, power steering, a four-wheel-drive system and a seven.
This is not the first time Porsche has tried to market its cars with turbocharged power, but it is a new strategy for the company, which has struggled to find an appropriate sports car for a long time.
If the Porsche company is successful, the Caymans and the Porsche Panathines will be joined by the new Cayenne SUV.
Read more about cars


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Governor Youngkin has announced that Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) awarded more than $2.7 million for 259 local and regional tourism marketing programs across the state to help increase visitation and revenue for Virginia’s localities through tourism.
Beaver Dam Farm Sunflowers in Botetourt County received a $20,000 grant for its September 2022 Sunflower Festival and Vendor Show. The farm then leveraged $20,000 in matching funds, showcasing over 105 vendors in the Largest Sunflower Festival and Vendor Show on the East Coast.
For the September 2022 festival new advertising dollars will be spent to pull in traffic from targeted areas outside of the local reach. Targeted ads and social media will reach Charlottesville, Richmond, Winchester, Fairfax and surrounding areas. Attracting crowds outside of their market will help to bring in more revenue to the community through gas expenses, overnight stays and meals. Surrounding local shops also benefit from the added foot traffic.
“Botetourt County has long been known for its agriculture and now is also becoming a tourist destination. Beaver Dam Farm Sunflowers is a true example of agri-tourism at its best. We are so proud of the dedicated work that Candace and her family have done with the annual Sunflower Festival and we are thrilled that she is being recognized at the state level with a Virginia Tourism Corporation Grant to help grow the event,” said Botetourt County Board of Supervisors Chair Dr. Richard Bailey. “Candace is a leader in our community and we can’t wait to see what the future holds for the festival and for her family farm.”
“The Sunflower Festival exemplifies the region’s agritourism, drawing tens of thousands of visitors each year to Botetourt County and Virginia’s Blue Ridge. Adding new marketing dollars into promoting the 2022 festival will undoubtedly enhance visibility, increase attendance and economic impact,” stated Landon Howard, president of Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge.
“These grant funds provide an important opportunity for communities across the Commonwealth to accelerate recovery efforts and continue with their best-in-class marketing initiatives to attract new travelers,” said Rita McClenny, president and CEO of Virginia Tourism. “Increased visitation translates directly into revenue generation, underscoring tourism’s important role in stimulating economic growth and expansion”
The VTC Regional Marketing Program aims to help Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) drive overnight visitation and to supplement funding for economically significant special events and festivals in order to increase overnight visitation. The DMO funding is projected to drive more than 125,000 room nights over the next 18 months.
The Beaver Dam Farm Sunflower Festival helps to diversify the family farm income. The farmland was purchased in 1900, was a tomato cannery in 1916 and began as a dairy in 1927. In September of 2019 the farm sold out of the dairy industry and now runs beef cattle and has a hay and straw operation. The farm is still owned and operated by the family today.
In 2015, 20 acres of black oil sunflowers were planted. As a result of the beautiful scenery, the following year the fields were opened up for visitors to walk through and admire. Visitors also enjoyed hayrides, farm animals to pet, and numerous craft and food vendors.
Today, the festival has widely expanded with weekend activities consisting of hay wagon rides, a farm animal petting area, over 105 unique handmade craft and food vendors, photo booths and live music. During the weekdays the farm offers 3 field trip opportunities for preschoolers, senior citizens and special needs kids and adults. They also have popular catered sunset dinners in the sunflowers and “goat yoga.”
Once the festival is over, the crowds have diminished and the sunflowers have all dropped their heads the farm will harvest the seed and bag it into black oil sunflower birdseed. Beaver Dam Farm sunflower seeds can be found in Northwest Hardware locations, Ikenberry Orchards and The Best Place antique store. They also seed packets so customers can plant their own seeds in their gardens.


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Tesla Motors backs bill to boost electric vehicle sales in Georgia
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Nearly all Tesla cars are made-to-order — delivery ranges from 1 month-to-3 months. Customers place orders online and the vehicles are made in a former Toyota-GM plant in Fremont, Calif.
Tesla manages to get around the 150-car limit in Georgia by having cars delivered as a "California vehicles," which customers' then self-register with the Georgia Department of Motor Vehicles, according to a source.
This is, no doubt, inconvenient to customers, which is why Tesla is pushing to increase the number of vehicles it can sell under the Georgia exemption.
Tesla is expected to draw more scrutiny, however, as it broadens its fleet.
Next year, Tesla is expected to launch Model X, an all-wheel-drive, electric mini-SUV. Further down the road, Tesla will roll out the Model E, a mass-market electric vehicle that would retail for about $40,000 before state and federal tax incentives.
While the new legislation applies to any manufacturer selling a new “zero-emission” vehicle, Tesla is the only major automaker that sells such cars directly to the public.
The legislation lays the groundwork for Tesla to expand its marketshare in a high-growth market.
The Peach State ranked fourth in the nation in the percentage of electric vehicle registrations, according to auto website Edmunds.com. Georgia was the only non-West Coast state, trailing Washington, Hawaii and California.
Even so, EV adoption is infinitesimal — accounting for just 1.1 percent of all vehicle car registrations in Georgia between January and November.
Tesla opened its first retail store Jan 19 and is scouting additional sites in in-town Atlanta and Alpharetta.
Urvaksh Karkaria covers Technology.
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WALKER GREENBANK, the luxury wallpaper maker, posted a jump in first half profits yesterday after its colourful fabrics and wallpapers caught the eye of American and Asian customers.
The company behind brands including Morris & Co – set up by nineteenth century textile designer William Morris – reported a 13.3 per cent rise in adjusted pre-tax profits of £3.06m in the six months to 31 July.
Sales increased by two per cent to £39.1m, boosted by its performance in the US, which is the firm’s largest market outside of Britain.
Chairman Terry Stannard said this rise helped to offset tough conditions in the UK, where sales declined by 1.7 per cent to £17m.
“It is encouraging to note that brand sales in the UK are up 2.6 per cent in September on an improving trend, giving us confidence as we enter the key autumn selling period,” he said.
Sales grew by 6.5 per cent in western Europe for the first time since the Eurozone crisis, while sales in the rest of the world rose by 5.8 per cent.


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October 6, 2020 – The first tourist conference during the coronavirus pandemic entitled “Croatian Tourism 365? – Post-COVID tourism and new opportunities” was held today in Tuheljske Toplice. Top domestic and EU tourism experts analyzed this year’s tourism results and discussed post-COVID challenges and opportunities.
Great emphasis was placed on the year-round Croatian tourist offer.
At the introductory presentation “Tourism 2020 – What after Covid-19?”, the global director of tourism consulting from the company Horwath HTL, Siniša Topolović, explained that everyone in tourism has suffered significant blows due to coronavirus. However, Croatia still achieved over 40 percent of last year’s tourism compared to Europe, where that percentage is around 30 percent.
Also, Croatia reached 60 percent of last year’s traffic in July and August, and by the end of the year, we can expect about 50 percent of last year’s traffic.
Topolović also pointed out that Zadar County achieved the highest index of tourist traffic compared to 2019 – 60 percent, while Istria County traditionally has the highest number of overnight stays. Zagreb is the most successful continental destination, and Dubrovnik County has experienced the biggest decline this year.
“This year it is worth ‘the further south, the sadder’, but this year should be used to emphasize the quality of tourism,” said Topolović, adding that this year’s winners are quality providers of private and hotel accommodation and quality caterers.
Year-round tourism and linking the offer
The organizer of the conference, Ivana Kolar, pointed out that year-round tourism can be one of the answers to the existing COVID-19 challenges, with which the vice president of the Croatian Chamber of Commerce for Agriculture and Tourism, Dragan Kovačević, agreed.
In his opinion, we should think about Croatian tourism from the perspective of a modern tourist.
“Modern tourists use modern technologies, book accommodation at the last minute, quickly change locations, look for an alternative to mass tourism, are looking for an authentic experience to get to know the local population, customs, traditions, and culture of the people. Because of its cultural and natural features, Croatia has a lot to offer,” explains Kovačević.
Zadar County achieved the highest index of tourist traffic compared to 2019 – 60 percent / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić
Željko Kolar, a prefect of Krapina-Zagorje County, believes that “it is important that we are evaluated by regions, and not by the whole country so that we have a better chance of being on the market.” He also points out that all types of tourism (wellness tourism, health tourism, religious tourism) must be brought together in the offer.
‘More comprehensive destinations’
Minister of Tourism and Sports of the Republic of Croatia Nikolina Brnjac emphasized during the Ministerial Forum that the goal of Croatian tourism is to move away from seasonality.
“We cannot rely on seasonality, but we must have good products for that,” said the Minister, confirming the opinions of Topolović and Kolar that quality products (4 and 5-star hotels, family farms, holiday homes, marinas) did good business this year. The fact that over 300 megayachts visited the Croatian coast this year is not negligible.
Istria County traditionally has the highest number of overnight stays / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić
The Ministerial Forum was also attended by Zdravko Počivalšek, Minister of Economy and Technology Development of the Republic of Slovenia, Fernando Valdés Verelst, State Secretary for Tourism, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Tourism of the Kingdom of Spain (online), and Elisabeth Köstinger, Minister of Agriculture, Region and tourism of the Republic of Austria (online). They discussed the future of tourism in their countries.
Fernando Valdés Verelst stated that Spain sees coronavirus as a possibility and that they “really need to start offering more comprehensive destinations.”
40,000 tourists still in Croatia
Kristjan Staničić, director of the Croatian Tourist Board, said that the year was extremely demanding for the main season, although the tourist year is still going on, and today we have another 40,000 tourists in Croatia, mostly foreign.
“A lot of energy and funds are focused on key emitting markets, but also on the domestic market where we are implementing two important projects – a ‘Week worth of vacation’ and a ‘Croatian tourist card’. These are projects that will be upgraded in the future and will provide an answer to the question of this conference – Croatian tourism 365? The answer is that it can, but with the synergy of all of us,” concluded Staničić.
Zagreb is the most successful continental destination / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić
He also stated that this year’s experience is a good basis for preparing what awaits us in 2021, but we need an even bigger and more intensive campaign, more informing the general public that we are a safe and close destination with good value for money.
Look into the future
At the beginning of the conference, Topolović pointed out that “people still want to travel, everyone has to go on vacation,” and that the sun and the sea have their future even in the biggest crisis.
However, Minister Brnjac says that “it is dangerous to rely on one product only – the sun and the coast.” Therefore, the guidelines for the development of a new tourism strategy relate to the quality of tourism infrastructure, accommodation facilities, and the emphasis is placed on additional product offerings.
The problem in Croatian tourism is currently underdeveloped off-season products such as the ski season, wellness tourism, and spas.
“‘Pre- and post-season have a future only if we have quality products and services,” is the main argument of Topalović.
Dubrovnik County has experienced the biggest decline this year / Copyright Romulić and Stojčić
A chance for further development
As the world recovers from the corona crisis, different segments of tourist travel will recover. Regional car travel will recover faster, train and domestic air travel slower, and international air traffic will need the most recovery time.
“Tourism is a reactive activity – as it blows, so the situation will develop,” describes Topolović. Therefore, tourism must be well planned to be sustainable in the long run.
All the interlocutors of this conference agree on one thing: this crisis has shown us the weakest points of tourism, but it also opened our eyes to its improvement in the future. Therefore, this crisis is a chance for further development.
The most important thing, everyone says, is to stay positive in this situation.
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According to research from Kantar Worldpanel ComTech Apple’s iPhone took a 42.8 percent share of the UK smartphone market in October, which compares to 35 percent for Google’s Android devices for the same period.
What is also interesting is that they UK market seems to be switching more to smartphones, as around 43 percent of the mobile phones sold in October in the UK were smartphones, and the report also says that overall around 44.8 percent of the UK population now owns a smartphone.
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Watch the Wild New Devil May Cry 5 TrailerImage via Capcom Games News Devil May Cry 5
At the Tokyo Game Show on Wednesday, Capcom released a new trailer for its forthcoming Devil May Cry 5. It’s a violent escapade through a bit of the gameplay, as well as the cinematics; Dante slices through demons, catches up with old friends and meets new ones, heavy metal blaring throughout. In a press release, Capcom describes the game as Dante’s most over-the-top adventure to date.
For those who haven’t already seen anything from the game, see Dante’s motorcycle as evidence. In the trailer, it splits into two parts that become … blades, or axes or clubs, or something? Regardless, Dante is using his motorcycle to beat the devil out of all the baddies in his way and it’s gnarly.
Also playable are Nero, Dante’s demon hunting buddy, and V, a new character who Capcom says will be fleshed out over the next few months. So far, all we know is that V is a new client that speaks totally in poetic verse. Each character will feature a unique gameplay style, so there should be some variety in combat.
Those ready to preorder Devil May Cry 5 can check out the deluxe edition, which includes Nero’s Devil Breaker and Mega Man-inspired Arms, the option to replace in-game cutscenes with live-action versions, as well as other yet-to-be-announced goodies, per Capcom’s release.
Devil May Cry 5 will be playable Mar. 8, 2019 on Xbox, PS4 and PC.
Watch today’s new trailer here.


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Stop The Presses, Google Gives Up On Print
Google announced the demise of the service in a blog post by Spencer Spinnell, the director of Print Ads, who wrote: "While we hoped that Print Ads would create a new revenue stream for newspapers and produce more relevant advertising for consumers, the product has not created the impact that we -- or our partners --wanted. As a result, we will stop offering Print Ads on February 28."
According to the same post, advertisers who have campaigns booked with Print Ads will have their contracts honored through March 31st. Over the course of the program, Google Print Ads had experimented with different kinds of direct response, including unique Web URLs and 2D barcodes that could be scanned with a mobile phone camera.
On a valedictory or possibly elegiac note, Spinnell wrote: "We believe fair and accurate journalism and timely news are critical ingredients to a healthy democracy. We remain dedicated to working with publishers to develop new ways for them to earn money, distribute and aggregate content and attract new readers online." Yet "it is clear that the current Print Ads product is not the right solution."
Print Ads was one of several initiatives launched by Google in 2006 that held out hope for traditional media already showing signs of collapse. In the print arena Google experimented with text ads in a number of newspapers, beginning with pioneer newspapers like the Chicago Sun-Times, followed by dozens of other titles looking for new revenue streams as print ads headed south.
With the demise of Print Ads, the next logical victim is Google Audio, which launched with the search giant's acquisition of DMarc, an automated radio ad placement service, in January 2006. In February 2007 Chad and Ryan Steelberg, the founders of DMarc, left Google amid tension over the limited remuneration dMarc could expect under the performance-based terms of its original deal with Google.
There's no way to know how Google Print Ads or Audio actually performed. News about both of these experimental services has been closely guarded by Google.


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In 2011 startups from over 60 countries competed in the second annual Startup Open competition that takes place as part of GEW. While 50 were selected as promising companies and names to the GEW 50 list, two companies stood above the rest. Fenugreen, a company that makes FreshPaper that organically keeps fruits and veggies fresh for 2-4 times longer, took the top prize receiving an all expenses paid trip to Liverpool for the 2012 GEC to meet Richard Branson and tell the story of their company to over 300 International delegates.
Dynamo Micropower took the runner up position with their company that applies recent advances in turbine technology to commercialized small, ultra portable generators. For their prize Dynamo Micropower received an all expenses paid trip to Florida to start a year’s worth of mentoring with Mike DeLazzer, Founder of Redbox. Below is an update on how each company is growing from their experiences.


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5 Hard to Believe Facts About Video Gaming in 2019
October 7, 2019 by Tiffany Douglas
Video games have sure come a long way from their humble origins. From the early days of "Pong" to the current variety of sports, RPG, online multiplayer and more, video games look much different today than they did in the 80s. Here are 5 mind-blowing facts about video games in 2019 that prove how much the landscape has changed.
5 Crazy Video Game Facts in 2019
1. A 16-year-old won $3 million for winning a video game championship this year. The event took place in Queens, New York on July 2019 and featured the popular video game Fortnite. It was the first Fortnite World Cup championship ever with prize money totaling $30 million and over 100 players competing. Kyle Giersdorf, a 16-year-old from Pennsylvania, won the $3 million grand prize for finishing atop the solo division. The payout marks the largest prize for a single player in an e-sports competition.
2. Twitch video game broadcasting helps raise millions for charity. Besides making it possible for teenagers to become millionaires by gaming, video games have also created an entirely new way for charities to generate interest in donating. Instead of having a physical fundraiser that requires people to physically attend, charities can tap into the digital age and host a video game stream fundraiser through the video broadcasting service Twitch. Since 2011, Twitch claims that they have raised over $130 million for donating to charity, and that number will likely grow as they make fundraising easier on the platform.
3. The gaming industry made $120 billion in revenue in 2018. It may be hard to believe, but the gaming industry is a multi-billion dollar industry. 120 billion, in fact. By 2022, experts project the gaming industry could produce as much as $196 billion! Spending weekends inside playing video games doesn't seem like the biggest waste of time anymore.
4. Seniors are using virtual reality to relive memories and experience new adventures. Outside of the bucks in gaming, the same technology that will power the games of the future is helping senior citizens today. Whether it's by giving them a fun way to get in physical exercise or provide a safe place to have an extreme adventure, virtual reality is slowly making its way into senior care around the country.
5. Some of the most popular video games are totally free. Perhaps in the craziest twist of all, many of the most popular games, like Fortnite, are completely free. Instead of relying on gamers to purchase copies of games, developers are more and more moving to pay-for-upgrade systems. These allow players to download the games for free and then requires purchase for upgrades like new looks, levels or moves. If you're still in it for the physical copies, try using a GameFly coupon to save on a free trial:
Ongoing OfferNo Promo Code Needed. Click "Get Offer" To Activate This Deal. Exclusions May Apply


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When Subaru axed the Tribeca SUV after the 2014 model year, they came up with the largest SUV the brand has ever produced to replace it, and it’s hot right out of the gate. Families have responded favorably to the all-new 2019 Subaru Ascent 3-Row and it helps Subaru of America achieve the automaker’s best month ever in the history in the U.S.
Families are responding to the new 3-Row from Subaru. Subaru of America (SOA) sold 4,235 units of the new 3-Row family hauler in August and 10,721 units now year-to-date. The new Ascent crossover was designed in Japan, and it’s what North American Subaru dealers and consumers have been asking for. Subaru dealers in the U.S. told Subaru Corp the new Ascent needed to be larger than the Japanese automaker originally had planned and they listened.
SOA reported 64,088 vehicle sales for August 2018, a 1.4 percent increase over August 2017, breaking the previous record set in December 2017 (63,342). SOA now has achieved 81 consecutive months of yearly month-over-month growth.
Two other nameplates were also up in August helping SOA achieve their all-time best sales month. The Subaru Impreza sedan and 5-Door compact models also had their best August ever with sales of 8,154 units increasing 9.3 percent over August 2017. BRZ sports coupe was up with sales increasing 13.7 percent (383 units) over the same month in 2017.
Subaru is also counting on the all-new fifth-generation 2019 Forester to continue to drive sales momentum, when it arrives this fall, and help the Japanese automaker finish the year with record sales for the 10th straight year.
The new 2019 Ascent 3-Row family hauler allowed Subaru to enter a whole new large vehicle segment they've been missing until now, competing with the Toyota Highlander, Nissan Pathfinder, Honda Pilot, Mazda CX-9, and American entries like the Ford Explorer, Chevy Traverse, Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee. It allows their current customer base of young millennials to move up in size as their family grows, and the brand is also seeing many Ascent buyers trading in vehicles from the completion.
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People in Bremen and travelers along I-20 now have a new way to “Eat Fresh.” After over 20 years in its old location below Mill Town Plaza, the Subway in Bremen has now moved to a brand new building at 102 Price Creek Road between McDonalds and Cracker Barrel.
Jon and Amanda McCorsley are the owners of the Bremen Subway. They also own seven other Subway franchises in Carroll, Haralson, and Douglas Counties. However, this was Jon’s first store when he started with Subway for the franchised shop 22 years ago.
What started the project to build the new location was the success of the drive-thru at one of his other stores, the one on Bankhead Highway in Carrollton. “Drive thru is a new concept for Subway, but it’s worked well for us,” McCorsley said. Therefore, he came up with the idea to build a drive-thru Subway in Bremen, especially because of its proximity to Interstate 20. The drive-thru option is not only a welcome opportunity for travelers, but also for families. “My number one complaint that I hear from moms is, ‘I would come there, but I don’t want to get the kids out.’ The ease of coming through the drive-thru makes it a lot more convenient for families,” McCorsley said.
The drive-thru isn’t the only new offering for the Bremen Subway location. In addition to the typical Subway offerings, a co-brand from the sandwich franchise has been added. Mama Deluca’s is a down the line pizza concept, similar to the sandwich assembly line Subway is famous for, where you build your own pizza starting with fresh dough. Pizza is prepared and ready in 3 minutes. Mama Deluca’s menu items also include pasta, boneless wings, and breadsticks baked fresh daily. Also, what makes this location extra special is the fact that there is only one other Mama Deluca’s in the entire state of Georgia.
There is a lot more seating available now than at the old location. The new building seats about 50 people indoors at full capacity, and there is also a patio for outdoor seating.
With the new location and new offerings, McCorsley said they are continuing to hire. “We are still hiring some part-time and full-time people for both day and night shifts. They can apply online at https://www.subway.com/en-US/careers,” he added.
McCorsley says he has enjoyed serving Bremen for the last two decades and looks forward to the new offerings this location will provide. “Thank you for the past 20-plus years, and we look forward to serving Bremen for many more,” he said.


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Exactly three years ago on Monday, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) announced that it would be accepting additional manufacturers to produce research-grade marijuana. And in that time, the agency hasn’t approved a single application.
It’s an ongoing source of frustration for researchers, lawmakers and advocates. Currently, there’s only one federally authorized source of cannabis for research—located at the University of Mississippi—and the quality of marijuana the facility produces has been repeatedly criticized for lacking the chemical diversity and potency of products available on the commercial market.
More than two dozens research institutions have submitted applications to become federal cannabis manufacturers since DEA posted its notice in the Federal Register on August 12, 2016.
“Our company applied for DEA authorization to cultivate cannabis because I wanted to explore the promise that cannabis could provide my fellow veterans with help to manage their chronic pain, depression, post-traumatic stress and other wartime wounds, but we’ve been waiting ever since,” George Hodgin, CEO of Biopharmaceutical Research Company (BRC), said in a press release.
Read more at marijuanamoment.net


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Cruise ships: Expert offers tips on which cabin to stay in
Cruise ship routes can venture across the seas and continents, or hone in more specifically on a particular river sailing and a particular tourist hotspot. New statistics have revealed the exact sailings which prove the most popular with rifer cruise travellers - with the outcome perhaps throwing up some surprises. Holiday specialist firm Titan Travel has attempted to dispel rumours around river cruises with its new campaign and survey, showing 28 per cent oftravelelrs had never been on a river cruise. Yet for those who have, one particular georgaphocal destination and specific section of water trumps them all.
This river cruise hotspot was found to be Europe, with the results stating: “European rivers remain the most desired, with the Danube, Rhine and Douro top three rivers to cruise.”
Meanwhile, the data found that the Loire, in France, came out as the fourth most desired river to cruise whilst also being the least travelled by its customers.
Across 2018/19, the latter river route was requested by 30 per cent of Titan’s customers, prompting a new addiction to the sailing schedule for 2020.
Andy Squirrell, Managing Director at Titan Travel, told of the campaign which also saw newbie river cruise travellers enjoy a trip, and said: “We’re thrilled with the results of our recent myth busting campaign.
“It was an absolute joy to see a group of travellers who had never considered river cruising before embrace the whole experience and challenge their own perceptions of what river cruising can offer.
Cruises: The most popular river cruise destination has been revealed
“As well as debunking a number of river cruise misconceptions, we wanted to highlight that holidaymakers shouldn’t let any preconceived ideas stop them from trying a different holiday experience.
“Travelling outside your comfort zone, visiting a destination you wouldn’t normally consider, or opening yourself to new experiences is one of the greatest thrills travel can provide.
“With Titan, guests can embrace these new travel adventures with the assurance and comfort that they’re in trusted hands, travelling as part of a group led by destination experts.”
Meanwhile, Express.co.uk recently reported how cruise ship firm Royal Caribbean are set to introduce ice to the seas with a series of Dancing on Ice cruises.
Dancing on Ice professional duo Alexandra Schauman and Lucasz Rozycki will take to the ice on the seas as they take their skates on board Royal Caribbean ships.
The married couple, who both starred in the 2019 ITV series, will star on seven sailings on board Independence of the Seas, in news which is sure to delight cruise-bound TV fans.
A spokesperson for the cruise firm told Express.co.uk they would be “wowing guests alongside Royal Caribbean's extraordinary ice cast to perform in the current production of Strings.”
The show centres on the enchanting tale of a missing Stradivari violin, with the duo adding extra celebrity sparkle.
The spokesperson revealed: “Guests will have the opportunity to do more than simply watch the show, they will also be able to enjoy meets and greets with the stars.”
In the 2019 DOI series, fronted by Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield, Alexandra was partnered with ex Strictly star James Jordan.
Meanwhile Lucasz, 39, was paired with Grease legend Didi Conn.
They will sail on routes across Europe, stopping off in counties including France, Spain and Italy.


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Meta Platforms Inc., the parent company of Facebook, has unveiled a new AI-powered tool called Imagine with Meta. This standalone artificial intelligence experience allows users to generate high-resolution images by simply describing them in everyday language.
Imagine with Meta leverages Meta’s Emu image generation model to generate images based on text prompts. The tool is currently available for free and provides users with four images for each prompt. This new feature expands Meta’s text-to-image generation capabilities beyond chats, aiming to enhance user engagement and interactive experiences.
It is worth noting that Microsoft’s Bing Chat and OpenAI’s Dall-E 3 also offer similar text-to-image generation options. This indicates the growing popularity and demand for AI-powered image generation tools that simplify the creative process for users.
Meta’s previous AI-powered sticker generator was limited to stickers and did not allow users to generate full images. However, the company faced criticism when its sticker generator was accused of being racially biased. This raised concerns about the precautions taken with Imagine to avoid similar issues.
To address transparency and traceability concerns, Meta plans to add watermarks to content created using Imagine in the coming weeks. These watermarks, although invisible, will be AI-generated and can be detected using a corresponding model. This measure aims to verify that the generated content is AI-generated and prevent misuse or misrepresentation of the images.
The rise of deepfakes and AI-generated content that bypass filters has put tech companies under scrutiny to ensure responsible use of AI technology. Meta’s inclusion of watermarks aligns with global trends that prioritize transparency and traceability in generative AI.
However, the effectiveness of these measures can only be proven over time. Meta will need to continuously monitor and update its safety protocols to address any emerging challenges or potential misuse of its AI tools.
The launch of Imagine with Meta demonstrates the company’s ongoing investment in AI technology and its commitment to expanding user engagement through innovative and interactive experiences. As AI technology continues to advance, it is crucial for companies like Meta to prioritize the responsible and ethical use of AI-powered tools.
In conclusion, Meta’s Imagine with Meta provides users with a new and user-friendly way to generate high-resolution images using everyday language. By addressing concerns about transparency and traceability through watermarks, Meta aims to promote responsible use of AI-generated content. As the AI landscape evolves, it is essential for tech companies to prioritize user safety and ethical AI practices.


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Michaels, Save Mart and Subway. Each of these companies was victimized by point-of-sale fraud, and security experts say the fraudsters' patterns offer valuable security tips to merchants and financial institutions.
Value? It's coming in more shapes and forms than ever before, says Kosta Peric of SWIFT. So how can financial institutions embrace these new values and provide products and services that meet growing consumer demand?
Social media and new economies are changing the payments landscape, giving consumers more control over their buying experiences. As consumers take on more, how much will banks and service providers relinquish?
2011 has offered quite a number of tough lessons for security professionals. Here at (ISC)2, where security education is our focus, the close of another year raises the old teacher's question: "What have we learned, class?"
One key reason why encryption isn't more widely used in healthcare is that some information technology specialists have outdated perceptions about the technology, contends security expert Melodi Mosely Gates.
With the extension of ENISA's mandate into 2013 by the European Parliament & Council, the agency can continue to educate and collaborate with other nations on cybersecurity issues, an area of constant importance.
The team at the European Network and Information Security Agency identified 50 security threats that exist within the new web standards and sent recommendations for how they should be addressed to W3C.
The threat landscape has evolved, and India's banking institutions must grow their information security strategies, says Anand Naik of Symantec, which just released a report that offers a new security agenda to institutions.


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The key to success on any team is communication. For many teams, this is easier said than done, mainly because setting up an environment that is conducive to effective and efficient communication can seem like a daunting task. Too often, this is because people overcomplicate what is necessary for a quality communication infrastructure.
Anyone who studies history understands that to look back is to look forward, and it seems construction technology follows suit. As construction is rapidly moving into a digital-first world, companies are seeing major shifts in the ways technology helps them streamline practices, reinvent personnel and equipment management and even use virtual and augmented reality to ideate, construct and maintain their buildings. The speedy pace of innovation has heads spinning, often leaving companies feeling a sense of fear from a lack of control.
As communities shift their focus to building “smarter” cities, a huge opportunity exists in the construction industry. In fact, 37 percent of municipal leaders prioritize “smart buildings” as an area for future investment, according to Smart City/Smart Utility, a 2017 Strategic Directions Report by Black & Veatch.
Every year it seems that a new “silver bullet” software package emerges, promising to automate critical marketing practices to increase sales. Because field sales alone cannot possibly maximize revenue across all accounts, a software solution may seem like a cost-effective way to support uncovered or underserved accounts. As a result, many businesses now use some form of marketing automation software—either a standalone program or as a part of a CRM system.
A walk through any construction site reveals the significant, transformative impact of today’s technology. Mobile has become ubiquitous and mandatory. Continue »


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Afternoon Buzzers: Netflix Jumps on Upgrade, Facebook Sinks After Downgrade
Shares of Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX) jumped more than 10 percent today. The online entertainment company received an upgrade to Overweight from Equal-weight at Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) with a price target of $85. The bank explains, “Our upgrade is based on our view that Amazon.com (NASDAQ:AMZN) is not a direct threat to Netflix’s U.S. business. We believe the primary driver of content revaluation was Netflix’s own success. Netflix is poised to leverage its domestic cost structure and potentially become the global video platform.”
Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) shares fell over 2 percent this afternoon, despite reports indicating that the company is ordering up to 10 million units of a highly anticipated iPad Mini for the fourth quarter. However, Bloomberg reports that Foxconn, an Apple supplier in China, had to stop production for the second time in only a couple weeks due to employee protests.
Catalysts are critical to discovering winning stocks. Check out our newest CHEAT SHEET stock picks now.
UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) shares attracted attention on Monday. The company announced it would purchase a 90 percent stake in Amil Participacoes SA, Brazil’s largest health insurer and hospital operator, at a cost of $4.9 billion.”Brazil’s growing economy, emerging middle class and progressive policies toward managed care make it a high- potential growth market,” UnitedHealth Chief Executive Stephen Hemsley explained in a statement.
Shares of Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) dropped more than 1 percent today. The company received a downgrade to Sell from Neutral by BTIG with a price target of $16. BTIG explains, “We see a growing tension between the Facebook user experience and monetization, particularly as the collapse of payment revenues has left Facebook with only one major lever to pull – advertising.”
Don’t Miss: Will Apple Steal the Show With an iPad Mini?


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G Suite has gotten a new name — Google Workplace, which includes Gmail, Calendar, Chat, Docs, Drive, Gmail, Meet, Sheets, and Slides.
The new package aims to give users a single, unified place for the tools they need for home, work or class. It is available to businesses now with consumer rollout expected in the coming months.
Google Workplace comes with features to create and collaborate on a document within a room and the ability to see people in a meeting while collaborating with Meet picture-in-picture.
Together with a new brand, Google Workspace will sport a new look with new four-colour icons for each tool in the coming weeks.


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Available in print and online.
Spring Valley Smart Water hosted the event ’Smart Asses’ at the Paspaley Polo in the city at Sydney’s Centenial Park on Saturday 13th December.
January 6th, 2009
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